New York magazine exists to do more than give Julie Klausner something to do while she’s not recording How Was Your Week? and let us know how the broke and beautiful are swapping bodily fluids. They also hit the street and go find out what the best, well, everything in New York is with their yearly Best Of NYC issue. And they don’t just wander around the tony parts of Manhattan to find things. They come to Brooklyn to let the world know what dominates the five boroughs. Last year’s list contained a whole lotta Williamsburg, and this year was no different. But the love was spread throughout Brooklyn, and we took home some awesome “Bests” like Best Ramen and First Best Date Bar. Plus Best Health Care Service for Dogs. Eat it, rest of New York. The full list of Brooklyn’s best is below.
Best Health Care Service for Dogs: Banfield Pet Hospital, Cobble Hill
“This pet clinic, heavy on the preventive care, provides vet services and a bundle of vaccinations for a flat fee”
Best Mushroom Ramen: Dassara, Cobble Hill
“the show at Smith Street’s upstart ramen-ya is stolen by a dark, soulful broth fortified with mushrooms like porcini, hen of the woods, and enoki.”
Best Anchovies: La Vara, Cobble Hill
“savory, meaty fillets that are good enough to stand alone”
Best Stamina Ramen: Ganso, Downtown Brooklyn
“festooned with chicken chashu and shots of schmaltz and chile oil rich and potent enough to see you through winter, and well into spring”
Best Park: Pier 5, Brooklyn Heights
“The ever-expanding Brooklyn Bridge Park would be a worthy destination if it were nothing more than a scrap of grass with some benches: The view of Manhattan is so magnificent it looks fake.”
Best Science Fiction Bookstore: Singularity & Co., DUMBO
“This labor of love from a quartet of sci-fi fans carries early-edition Ray Bradbury hardcovers, Ace Doubles, the ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ series, a bunch of spy novels, and even some romance.”
Best Housewares: West Elm Market, DUMBO
“Who says a chain store can’t be charming?”
Best Auto-Body Repair: Sam’s Auto Body Shop, DUMBO
“A quiet word-of-mouth reputation has given rise to stellar Internet ratings, which may be why the license plates out front range surprisingly far from New York”
Best Tiny Tinkerers: Construction Kids, Fort Greene
“The former Lefferts Garden program has relocated to a new state-of-the-art studio in the Navy Yard, where kids 2 to 14 can craft wooden skateboards, go-carts, and toy cars and trains”
Best Entertainment Value: Barclays Center, Fort Greene
“it’s the thoughtful concessions, no-fee ATMs, unnervingly perky staff, and modern conveniences like cell-phone-charging stations and free Wi-Fi that keep you coming back.” (Editor’s note: Go Knicks)
Best Beer Garden: Greenwood Park, Park Slope
“you’ve got all the makings of a decent birthday-party or second-date diversion.”
Best for Budding Fashionistas: Hiho Batik, Park Slope
“kids 5 and up use hot wax and colorful paints to create one-of-a-kind batik designs on T-shirts, tote bags, and more”
Best Analog Toys: Norman and Jules, Park Slope
“Parents tired of blinky, bleepy, techie toys will find nothing of the sort”
Best Burger: Pork Slope, Park Slope
“it’s the best new bar burger in town”
Best Nachos: Pork Slope, Park Slope
“If you were to translate Talde’s nachos theory into the language of congressional education reform, it would be No Tortilla Chip Left Behind”
Best Bar Food: Aska, Brooklyn, Williamsburg
“If you have just one dish, however, make it the classic “potatis” potato dumplings ($6)”
Best Grooming Emporium: Barber & Supply, Williamsburg
“Loitering is encouraged at the newest, largest, and (amazingly) first Brooklyn outpost of Freeman’s barbershop”
Best Double Cheeseburger: Blue Collar, Williamsburg
“One theory behind the success of the double is that two thin patties are better than one”
Best Breakfast: BrisketTown, Williamsburg
“the best way to start the day since biscuits met gravy”
Best Records: Co-op 87, Greenpoint
“what separates this platter peddler from all the others? Fair prices ($3 to $15 in the used bins) and an unusually friendly staff”
Best Underground Art: Cotton Candy Machine, Williamsburg
“the gallery space looks like a Juxtapoz layout sprung to life”
Best Designer Deadstock: Graymarket, Williamsburg
“The icing on the subversive cake: Everything is new with tags and discounted up to 60 percent.”
Best Menswear, H.W. Carter and Sons, Williamsburg
“the act of shopping for painstakingly wrought menswear at H.W. Carter is elevated by its richly conceived 1,800-square-foot space”
Best Brooklyn Boutique: Mocium, Williamsburg
“you wish you could just install the entire store in your living room, piece by piece.”
Best Kid-Friendly Eatery: Monk Bar & Pizzeria, Williamsburg
“the restaurant, run by father of eight Felipe Avalos, actually likes kids”
Best Superclub: Output, Williamsburg
“The first of its kind in North Brooklyn, the Berlin-style electroclub fits 452 party people, but promises more when the roof opens in spring.”
Best Brunch: Parish Hall, Williamsburg
“an almost spalike, restorative vibe, spot-on $9 cocktails, a crowd of all ages, happy families, non-squealing tots”
Best Patty Melt: Parish Hall, Williamsburg
“lamb bacon mingled with beef, and it’s rich and drippy and delicious in ways we’ve yet to fully comprehend”
Best Miracle Colorist: Pickthorn, Bushwick
“forgoes slapdash foils for a more artful approach, hand-painting each strand of hair individually”
Best Surfing Gear: Pilgrim Surf & Supply, Williamsburg
“glutted with Bantu bikinis, Kenyan-style beach wraps, Da Fin flippers, and surfscreen war paint.”
Best Miso Ramen: Ramen Yebisu, Williamsburg
“an elegant broth based on charred pork and lobster stock, sweet miso, toasted sesame, and an avalanche of chopped green onions”
Best Grass-Fed Burger: Reynard, Williamsburg
“Unlike many lean, gristly grass-fed burgers, this one is leavened with lots of juicy fat”
Best French Fries: Reynard, Williamsburg
“the stack of locally sourced, crisp-yet-creamy skin-on spuds seems kind of perfect”
Best Slice Joint: Williamsburg Pizza, Williamsburg
“gas oven, paper plates, and a deeply satisfying, classic New York slice ($2.50) made with aged mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes”
Best Rug Dyers: Aelife Rugs, Bushwick
“All the trendiness of overdyed rugs without the mess of dyeing one yourself.”
Best Tongue: Bar Corvo, Crown Heights
“the “fries” on the menu are made from beef tongue that’s been braised in chicken stock for three to four hours”
Best Dance Club: Bossa Nova Civic Club, Bushwick
“an antidote to the rampant twee artisanalization of North Brooklyn”
Best Place to Build an Android: Brooklyn Robot Foundry, Gowanus
“children ages 4 to 13 learn simple circuitry while building their own moving, blinking creations out of old tin cans and boxes”
Best First Date Bar: Dear Bushwick, Bushwick
“Decorated with antique birdcages and portraits of dignified Brits, resto-bar Dear Bushwick is a beacon of coziness on an otherwise bleak block”
Best Homebrewing Class: Homebrewing 101, Gowanus
“If you’re a novice brewmaster in need of hands-on instruction, the beginner’s class ($45) at this Gowanus shop for the hops-obsessed is a must”
Best Used Bookstore: Molasses Books, Bushwick
“This eclectically stocked used bookstore is a throwback in every sense”
Best Hipster Bikes: Red Lantern Bikes, Clinton Hill
“Staffers here will sell you a refurbished bike, overhaul your old junker, teach you how to do it yourself, or just provide storage in winter.”
Best DIY Art Space: Silent Barn, Bushwick
“the Barn, known for its wild-and-sweaty all-ages concerts and dance parties, has found a new home in Bushwick”
Best Second Bar on a first date: Tutu’s, Bushwick
“Every Wednesday at 11 p.m., new bar Tutu’s hosts a video-game night, wherein the owners cast a projector on a back wall and plug in the ol’ Nintendo 64”
Check out the whole issue to see where you should go if you deign to leave Brooklyn